Leeds Face Fight To Hold Onto Key Man

Leeds United face a fight to hold onto Pablo Hernandez at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old is the only senior player at the club out of contract this summer and head coach Paul Heckingbottom has indicated that the club has been holding talks with the experienced playmaker about a new deal.

Hernandez signed a one-year deal last summer after a successful season-long loan at the club the previous season, flourishing under his former Swansea City manager Garry Monk.

Monk is reportedly keen to take Hernandez to his new club Birmingham City this summer and Heckingbottom admits that the former Spanish international could have his head turned by another club this summer.

“I’ve had chats with Pablo in terms of football, himself, us as a club and everything was positive,” Heckingbottom told his press conference this week ahead of the clash with Barnsley today.

“Pablo is driven by football rather than money. He is driven by his heart, he likes it here and he is settled. I think things like that are positive.

“There could be other people turning his head as well speaking in those terms with him and trying to capture his heart at other clubs. That is just the position we find ourselves in because of his contract situation.

“We will try as hard as we can. He knows where I stand on it and that’s all we can do.”

Hernandez has been one of the few positives in the side this year in a disappointing season and his recent goal against Sunderland was his ninth goal of the season.